Beneath Your Beautiful
by the.uncloseted.nerd
Summary: Since the age of 5, Peeta has always had a secret crush on Katniss and was devastated when she moved when they were 8. When Katniss moves back to town, Peeta tries to rebuild the relationship that they almost had, but it may be harder than he thinks. Over the past 8 years, Katniss has had a painful, tragic life and seems to be broken beyond repair. And it's up to Peeta to fix her.
1. Chapter 1

PEETA'S POV

I can feel the heat of the sun beating on my shoulders as I look at the blisters on my hands and curse under my breath. These will hurt like hell tomorrow when I work at the bakery.

Isn't summer vacation supposed to be fun? Isn't it a time to relax and take a break from school and work? Apparently not, according to my parents. Ever since my two older brothers have moved out, I get stuck doing all the heavy labor duties around the house. And although I know that yard work is something that needs to be done, does it have to be now? When it's almost 100 degrees outside? On a Saturday, no less? I stop for a moment to rest against my shovel and fantasize about jumping into a pool of stone cold ice.

As I wipe the sweat on my brow that is threatening to burn my eyes, I see a moving truck pull up to the Undersee's house. That's weird, I think to myself. Having lived across the street from each other since I was born, I thought we would have heard about them planning to move. I squint my eyes as I brace the afternoon sun to get a better look. That's when I see a small-framed girl with her brunette hair pulled into a braid. Although she hurried into the house from the truck, I know that I've seen her before. I'm about to drop my shovel and head over to their house to see what's going on when I hear my mother calling my name.

"PEETA!" She screams. I swear, every time she talks there are people in China wondering what animal is shrieking in pain. I reluctantly turn around to face the woman who am I obligated to call my mother. She was probably beautiful at one time in her life, but all I can see now is a middle-aged, overweight, miserable woman who wants everybody around her to be just as miserable as she is.

"What?" I ask sharply but not too loudly. I am really not in the mood to be disciplined.  
"Don't you use that tone with me, boy! I need you to come inside." She says quickly.  
I groan and slowly move my feet towards my front door, taking one last glance at the truck across the street.

"NOW!" I hear her yell as she makes her way back into the house.  
I close my eyes and rub my temples, trying to suppress the migraine that is bound to come from listening to that woman.

As I walk into my house, I see my father sitting on the coach, reading his daily newspaper.  
"Hey, dad." I say as I make my way into the kitchen for some water.

I love my father. We are a lot alike in many ways. People always tell me how much I look like my dad did when he was my age, but I can never see it when I look at old photographs. It must be the blonde hair and blue eyes.

"Hi, son. How was finishing the yard?" He asks without looking up from his paper.  
"Not done yet. I guess mom needs me for something and asked me to come inside."

He puts his paper down and looks at me with a questioning look. I give a shrug in response. Looks like we are both in the dark about what my mom wants.

I continue into the kitchen and find my mother there, arms crossed and tapping her foot.

"Took you long enough." She says and I just roll my eyes. Nothing is ever fast enough for her.  
"Now, you've finished the yard, correct?" She asks and I just roll my eyes again. Of course I'm not done and she knows it.  
"No. I was getting close to the end when you stopped me and pulled me back in here." I respond in a monotone.

"Well maybe if you didn't stand around and daydream so much you would have been done by now! No matter. I have the entire summer to teach you the value hard work and getting it done on time." She moves her way to the refrigerator to stuff herself and I rub my temples again. I would fight back, but it's no use. I'll never win and it's not worth the pain she causes, mostly to my migraine.

"Now, Peeta." She says as she stuffs her face with a cream puff. "Listen carefully. Your father and I have a have very important dinner party tonight..." This I already know. She's been talking about it for months. I begin to zone her out until I hear her say "…so I need you to take over five dozen cupcakes to the Undersees."

"Wait… what?" Did I hear that right? She needs me to go over the Undersees today?  
She huffs in annoyance, obviously irritated that I wasn't really listening.  
"Gosh Peeta do you EVER listen to me?!" The obvious answer is "hell no", but I keep that to myself.  
"I said," she continues "I need you to bake and take over five dozen cupcakes to the Undersees so that they can have them for the party tonight."  
"Wait, the party is at the Undersees?" I guess I never caught that, and a strange excitement stirs up inside of me.

"Obviously, Peeta. Jack Undersee is the mayor of the city and the party is for him. Gosh, you can be so brainless. I take that back, you're always brainless. How lucky am I to have you a son?" She asks sarcastically but I don't care. She can insult me all she wants because she has provided me a perfect excuse to see what the hell is going on at the Undersees with the brunette.

I have to suppress a smile so that I don't give myself away as my mother continues.

"They need them by 4 so you better have them over there not a minute later than that. You know what will happen if you don't and believe me, I will know." She gives me a stern look and I just nod, knowing exactly what she is talking about.

"Now, I have to go get my hair and nails done for tonight so I'll be back later. You better get going or you'll never have those cupcakes done in time!"

I just ignore her and get started on the cupcakes as my mother walks out the door. I want to get these done as fast as I can so that I can get over there. I also see my father leave to go check on the bakery. Perfect. A quiet house all to myself.

I love baking. It's the only time when I feel like I really excel at something and feel truly myself. It also is a great way to clear my mind.

As I mix the flour and eggs together, my mind wanders back to a time long ago, a time when I knew the brunette girl with braids.

* * *

We were five and just starting school. I was really nervous to begin Kindergarten and was hanging onto my father's leg, worried that I would never see him again if I let go. He was consoling me and trying to give me comforting words when we both saw her in the distance.  
My father then whispered in my ear, "You see that little girl with the two braids and the red dress? I wanted to marry her mother, but she ran off with a coal miner."

"No way, daddy. Why would she want a coal miner when she could have you and your yummy cookies?" I asked and my father just chuckled.  
"Because when he sings, even the birds stop to listen." He replied and I gave him a questioning look. There was no way that could be true.

I looked back over to the girl in the red dress and saw that she was looking at me too. Both of our faces turned red and we looked away from each other. I buried my face into my father's leg again, and didn't come back out until I heard him say, "Hello there, Ivy." I looked up and saw a beautiful blonde woman with blue eyes, just like mine.  
"Hello, Abram." She replied with a shy smile.  
She then smiled down and me and said "You must be Peeta." I nod my head.  
"This," she beings as she pulls the girl from behind her back, "is Katniss."

Katniss waves and gives me a shy smile while trying to hide behind her mother again, but her mother keeps her still.

"Why don't you two go into school together?" I look up at my father and wonder why he would say such a thing. I had already told him I wasn't going inside.

Surprisingly, however, Katniss reaches out her hand and to me and I take it without question. As I looked into her lovely gray eyes and watched her face turn red again with a goofy, shy grin, I thought that maybe school wouldn't be so bad.

We walked into school together and stayed by each other side for the rest of the day. We never did talk, but there was some sort of unspoken comfort between the two of us.  
Then, at the end of the day, we had a music assembly with all of the Kindergarteners. When we were all together, the music teacher asked if any of us knew the valley song. To my surprise, Katniss' hand shot up without hesitation. She then stood up and sang the song in front of everybody. It was the most beautiful thing I had ever heard. For a five year old, her voice obviously wasn't going to sound perfect. But the way that she was so passionate and so immersed in the song made it perfect for me. She was perfect for me. The way that her body moved to the music and the way that her face would light up when she hit a high note made my heart tug. And I knew there was no going back.

When Katniss sat back down, I knew I had to say something to her.  
I sat for a minutes while my heart was pounding before I whispered, "Good job." That was that all that I could manage to say.  
"Thanks." She replied with another shy smile and her face turned red again.

We never spoke again after that. Every day I would watch the girl in the braid and I was always too nervous to talk to her. The days of not talking turned into weeks, weeks turned into months, and months turned into years. But I always saw her. At school, when she would come into my father's bakery, and, of course, always in my thoughts.

She moved when we were 8. Her father died in a coal mining accident and her mother got remarried. The day I found out she was gone, I didn't come out of my room. When my father found me that night, I was hiding in my closet and had puffy red eyes and tearstains on my cheeks. I thought that he would tell me how stupid I was for crying over a girl I had never talked to before, but instead, he just held me let me cry some more. I had never told him about my feelings for Katniss, but he knew. A father always knows.

* * *

It's been 8 years, and now, she's back. Well, actually, I don't know that for sure. In fact, I almost start to doubt myself. Why on earth would she be back? Especially at the Undersees? I shake my head and try to get the thoughts of the brunette girl out of my head to not get my hopes up. Maybe my mind was just playing tricks on me. It's just… she looked so much like her.

I finish the cupcakes and see that it's about 2:30. I could them take over now, but I decide to make some cheese buns as well. They are Madge's favorite and I figure that I could use them as an excuse to stay a little longer at the house.

At 3:45, I make my way over to the Undersee's home with sweaty hands and can feel my heart beating, threatening to fall out of my chest. I knock on the door and see a familiar face answer it. Madge and I have been friends since before I could remember. Being neighbors for all of these years will tend to do that to people. I smile and she smiles back.

"I've been expecting you." She says with a seductive undertone as she leans against the door. I chuckle at her because I know that she's kidding. There has and will never be anything romantic between the two of us. She's like a sister to me. She even looks a bit like my sister with the blonde hair. She, however, has brown eyes. And besides, my heart has always belonged to somebody else…

She laughs and ushers me into the door "Let me help you with those." She says and takes a box from me. We make our way into the kitchen and set the cupcakes on the counter.

"I have a surprise for you!" I say to Madge as I open the top box.  
"Well if it's anything like what you got me for my birthday, maybe I should leave the room now."

I laugh as I think back to when Madge opened her present from me. She screamed her off when she looked in the box only to find a long, green snake. It was a garden snake, completely harmless. But she didn't talk to me for a week.

"No, no. You'll like this surprise." I say as I pull out a cheese bun.  
She squeals, grabs it from my hand and takes a bite before I have the chance to hand it to her.  
"Gosh, Madge, are you hungry or something?" I say with a laugh.  
She just rolls her eyes at me and stuffs the rest of the bun in her mouth.

I hear something break upstairs and turn to Madge.  
"I'll go see what that was, I'll be back in a second." She says as she skips away, licking her greasy fingers.

As I stand in the kitchen alone, my heart rate picks up again, nervous to find out the truth behind who else is in this house.

I hear footsteps coming downstairs and see Madge coming back into the kitchen.  
"Do you want a cheese bun?" I hear her say, but she isn't talking to me.

Behind her, I see the same slight-framed brunette girl come slowly into the kitchen.

"Oh, how rude of me," Madge says as she looks back at me. "Let me introduce you guys. Peeta, this is…"

But as I look at her braid and then to her familiar, beautiful gray eyes, I know exactly who she is.

* * *

A/N: Next chapter will be in Katniss' point of view. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE review/favorite/follow and whatever else you can do on here! Let me know what you guys think and let me know if you want me to continue! Thanks y'all! :)


	2. Chapter 2

KATNISS' POV

It feels so strange to be back here after all of these years. I look out the window of my new bedroom and watch as a few familiar faces of the neighborhood go about their daily lives. Of course, everybody looks much older.  
I'm sure I do as well. I know that I definitely feel older.

As I think about these people actually seeing and recognizing me, a nervous knot begins to form in my stomach.  
_Why did I come back here? _I think to myself as I sit on my new bed and put my face in my hands.

No. I do know why.

They had asked me if I wanted to go somewhere new, make a fresh start. But the thought of living in a foster home with complete strangers gave me more anxiety than anything.  
So, I suggested that Prim and I move back to the town that we lived in before. I remembered that the Undersees would take in foster kids from time to time, so I had our social worker give them a call, and here we are.

Well, here I am.

Prim is still in another foster home but she should be here in a few days. Words cannot describe how much I miss my little sister right now. She's the only thing really keeping me going and to not have her around makes my world feel empty, pointless.

I get up from the bed and move over to Madge's side of the room. It was so sweet of her to be so willing to share her room with me. We're both 16 and knew each other a little bit when we were little, so it seemed like a good choice.

Her room is massive and beautiful. Her light pink walls complement the gray furniture and sheets well.  
As I look at the bed that I will be sleeping in for who knows how long, I can't help but marvel at the fact that it's all mine. I haven't really had anything to call completely mine since I was 8, and especially not a full and very comfortable bed.

By Madge's bed, she has a bookcase full of things. Books, magazines, jewelry boxes, but something that catches my eye is a small snow globe that has the city of Panem inside of it. It seems to make sense. I'm sure this was a gift from her father, the mayor of the city.  
But as I pick it up, I realize that it can play music. I turn the lever on the bottom and I almost drop the globe when I hear what song plays: The Valley Song, Panem's anthem.

Tears fill my eyes when I think back to when my father would sing it to me. He would take me into the living room and dance with me while he sang and would get me to sing along. It became my favorite song because it reminded me of him.

Another memory comes back to me, but it's very fuzzy. It was so long ago and I've gotten very good at blocking out events in my life.  
However, this wasn't a bad memory at all. I know that it involved the first day of Kindergarten, me singing the valley song, and a little blonde boy who held my hand the entire day.  
Peeta, I remember his name being. I think of how odd it is for me to remember that. We never talked again after that day and I know he surely wouldn't remember me.  
But, I will always remember him.

* * *

I was 8 and my father had died about six months before.  
Naturally, my sister and I were devastated to lose our father. I couldn't get out of bed for a week.  
But my mother was a completely different story. She literally did not get out of bed for a month. She would just lie on his side of the bed and stare at the wall. Sometimes she would cry, but most of the time she just lay there with a blank expression. Lost in another world entirely.

Prim was only 4 at the time and I knew that she needed to be taken care of. I did all that I could to make sure that Prim knew that she was loved and that she felt as normal as possible.

After a while, my mother started to be able to function again. She began going out into public and ended up getting remarried to a man named Cornelius Snow.  
But, in my mind he is just Snow. His soul is colder than anyone I had ever known.  
I couldn't believe that she would do this to Prim and me. I was angry because it was so soon after my father had died. And did she have to get married to him? He was awful. Of course, my mother would have never said that. Even when I would show her the cuts and bruises, she told me I was lying and to stop making up stories.  
But I never made up anything. It was always him.

It was the day before I knew we were moving and I was sitting in the lunchroom alone, as usual. I never was huge on making a lot of friends, especially now that we were leaving. Even though I didn't know a lot of people, I still didn't want to leave. This was home. And it held good memories of my past with my father.

Now, as I sat at my table empty of people and food twirling my fingers, I couldn't help but think of how hungry I was. Snow had been punishing me for the last week by not letting me eat anything. There wasn't really even a reason for me to be punished; I think he just liked seeing me cry. He refused to give me money for lunch and even checked me before I left the house to make sure I didn't take any food from the kitchen.

I rested my head on my arms and closed my eyes, wanting to desperately disappear from the world.  
That's when I heard a thud on the table. I looked beside me and found a small box with my name on it.

When I opened the box, I saw four delicious looking cheese buns. The smell of them overwhelmed me and I couldn't believe my eyes. I looked around the lunchroom to see who could have given me this precious gift when his blue eyes met mine.  
It was only for a moment, but I knew that it was him. He quickly looked away from me and I did the same, much like we had on our first day of school.

I probably should have said something to Peeta Mellark. A thank you at least. But I was afraid he might change his mind and take them back, so I ran out of the lunchroom and found a supply closet that could hide in.

As I took out the first cheese bun, I take the first bite slowly. Taking in every texture and taste of it.  
This was the first real thing I had eaten in almost a week, and it tasted so incredibly good. Before I knew it, I was onto my second bun and had to physically control myself from taking a third because I wanted to save the other two for Prim.

To most people, the gift of some cheese buns would have been just that: a gift of cheese buns.  
But to me, it gave me hope.  
Hope that maybe everybody isn't so bad. Hope that there can be some things in life to look forward to.  
And Peeta Mellark gave me that hope.  
I'll never forget that boy with the bread.

* * *

A wave of nausea brings me back to the present.  
_Not again_. I think to myself as I carefully set the snow globe down and run to the bathroom.  
Unfortunately, I was in such a hurry to make it to the toilet that I knocked over a lamp and I hear the bulb break.  
_Damn it_. I curse in my head as I heave my breakfast. Once I finish, I hear someone come up behind me.

"Are you ok?" I hear Madge asks me and I just nod my head, eyes closed. I lean up against the wall and can feel Madge rubbing my leg.  
I flinch. I'm still not very comfortable with people touching me.

"I'm sorry." She whispers.

My eyes fly open and I look at her, realizing what I've done.

"No, I'm sorry! I heard the lamp break but I didn't really have time to check the damage."

I start to stand up and begin to shake, worried about what might happen to me.  
Will they send me to different home? Will Prim ever be allowed to come here?  
All of these horrible scenarios go through my head and I feel Madge grab my arms to try and calm me down.

"Katniss, it's just a lamp. You are just fine. Don't be sorry. I'll clean it up."

She rubs my arms soothingly and goes back into her bedroom.

I go over to the sink to wash out my mouth and put cold water on my face. After, I sit on the toilet and put in my head in my hands, taking deep breaths to try to calm down. I hear Madge come back in the bathroom and she leans against the doorway.

"Do you want to come downstairs with me?"

I look at her and can see how genuine a person she is. Her entire family has been so kind to me and I have to force back tears. I haven't felt so cared for in a very long time.

"Sure." I whisper and follow her down the stairs.

She makes it there before I do and I hear her say, "Do you want a cheese bun?" as I make way into kitchen.

I stop in my tracks when I see the bun. I haven't seen one in over 8 years but the smell is still just as overpowering. The smell and shape is so distinctive that there can only be one person that could have made them.

As I look up and meet his blue eyes, I know I was right.  
I am once again in the same room as my boy with the bread.

* * *

A/N: Hope you guys liked it! Continue to let me know of your thoughts and PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE review/favorite/follow :) Thanks ya'll!


	3. Chapter 3

PEETA's POV

"Peeta, this is…"  
"Katniss." I whisper as I continue to gaze at her face. That beautiful face that I haven't seen in over 8 years.

"What was that?" Madge asks me, and I sigh in relief that she didn't hear me. How creepy would I seem if I magically knew her name? I'm sure that she doesn't remember mine. Or even me for that matter.

"Oh, nothing. Sorry, Madge. What were you saying?" I ask as I reluctantly pry my eyes from those striking gray ones and look at Madge.

"This is Katniss." Madge finally finishes and gestures towards her.  
I turn back to Katniss and give her small smile. She smiles back, but it doesn't quite reach her eyes. It's nothing like the smile I remember.

"And, Katniss, this is Peeta."

Katniss reaches out her hand to shake mine.  
Very proper. Very odd.  
I take her hand into mine without question and shake it gently.

"Hello, Peeta." She says to me, and again, it feels very proper. It feels weird.  
And I feel embarrassed at the butterflies that fill my stomach at the sound of her voice saying my name and feeling the warmth of her skin on mine.  
"Hi, Katniss." I reply and let go of her hand.

We all stand there a little awkwardly for moment until Madge offers Katniss a cheese bun again.

Katniss takes one from Madge's outstretched hand with a quiet "Thank you." and a small smile. This one looks a bit more like the Katniss that I remember.

"Peeta makes the best cheese buns." Madge says as she smiles and looks at me.  
I can feel my face turning red and I just shrug as I look at the ground.  
"Oh, they're all right."

"Well if they taste anything like how they smell, I'm sure they are life-changing." I look quickly up at Katniss and she gives me another small smile. She's acting so shy.

"Well, maybe you should find out for yourself." I say in response.  
She laughs a little and I can feel my heartstrings tug. How long has it been since I've heard that laugh? Too long is the answer I come up with.

She picks off a little piece and puts it in her mouth. As I watch her chew, she closes her eyes and… is that a moan that I hear? I have to take a deep breath to stop my body from responding.  
Gosh. This girl has no idea what she does to me.

Katniss' eyes flutter open and her face turns red when she realizes that I've been watching her.

"Um. Yeah. Definitely life-changing." She says to me. Her face is still red but she does manage another smile.

"Well I'm glad you like them." I smile back and manage a laugh. "At the rate that you girls are eating them, I might have to head back home and whip up some more to keep up."

"I'd be alright with that." Madge says with a laugh and stuffs another bun in her mouth. "I could eat these every day!"

"Well maybe I'll have to make it a daily thing." I say. I laugh to make it sound like a joke, but I would be more than thrilled to have an excuse to come over here every day and see Katniss.  
But, wait.  
Will Katniss be here every day? What is she doing here?  
I know that I will never be able to sleep tonight if I don't find out.

"Uh. Katniss," I begin, and my heart speeds up when I say her name. "I already know where I can find Madge, but is there a delivery address you could give me so that I know where to send the buns for you? Just so that I know they get in the right hands." I ask and smile at her again. I can't seem to stop smiling.

Katniss turns red again and looks at the floor. She almost seems to be embarrassed for some reason.  
"Um... Well..." She begins

"She'll be staying here for a while." Madge steps in gives a comforting smile to Katniss.

It takes everything in me to not jump up and down with overwhelming elation.  
Katniss Everdeen is going to be a short walk across the street from me for at least a little while. I know that this thought is going to take a while to sink in, but one thing I do know is that my summer, and possibly entire life, just got a thousand times better.

"Well great! That makes it a lot easier for the delivery to have you girls in one place." I say with another smile.

All of the sudden we hear the garage door open and see Madge's mother walk into the kitchen.

"Oh, hello there Peeta!" Madge's mother says when she sees me. "I see you've gotten the cupcakes here safe and sound. Thank you so much for doing those for us on such short notice."

"Yes, ma'am. And it was my pleasure. No trouble at all. I hope that they meet your expectations."

"Of course they will!" Madge and her mother say at the same time and they both laugh.  
"Your cupcakes are the best around. I'm not worried in the slightest." Mrs. Undersee says. She starts pulling the cupcakes out of the box and I can tell that she is rushing to get ready for the party tonight. I really don't want to leave, but I don't want to be in the way either.

"Could I help you with anything to get ready for tonight?" I ask, praying that the answer might be a "yes."  
"Oh no, dear. We have everything covered. Thank you for offering though! You're always so sweet!"  
I can feel my face turning red and I just shrug, not really knowing how to respond.  
"Well, I'll just get out of your way then. Good luck tonight, Mrs. Undersee!" I say as I walk to the door with Madge and Katniss.

"Thank you for the cheese buns, Peeta. That was really thoughtful." Madge tells me as she opens the front door.  
"Really, it was no problem. I'm glad you enjoyed them. Both of you." I say and look to Katniss. She still is acting a bit shy and looks at the ground.

"So, I guess I'll be seeing you guys around?" I ask and my heart jumps in my chest when I see Katniss look up at me and nod with a small, but genuine smile.  
"Of course! Bye, Peeta!" Madge says as she closes her door.

I walk back to my house in a daze.

_Katniss Everdeen is back. Katniss Everdeen is back. KATNISS EVERDEEN IS BACK.  
_I say this to myself over and over and slap myself to make sure I'm not dreaming.  
This can't be real life.

As I want into my house, I see my mother standing there in a robe with rollers in her hair arms crossed and foot tapping. The usual.

"Where the hell have you been?!" She screams at me and I just walk right passed her to go up to my room, feeling a little bit light headed.  
"I AM TALKING TO YOU, BOY!" I hear her yell and I stop on the stairs for a moment to answer her and get her out of my hair.

"I was at the Undersees, delivering cupcakes, just like you asked." I reply with a sigh. Where else would I have been?

"Like hell you were. It's nearly 5! What could you have been doing over there for an hour?" She asks me and I sigh again and rub my temples, something I've been doing a lot lately.

"I was talking to Madge and… their new house guest." Is all I say, hoping that will be enough to get her to leave me alone.

"Ah, yes." She says. "That piece of garbage who lived here before. I remember her family. Pieces of white trash. All of them. What was her name? Catpis or something? Oh, doesn't matter. She's scum anyway. I don't know why the mayor…"

"Katniss." I say with my teeth clenched as I interrupt her.  
"What was that, boy?!" She asks me and I turn around to face her.  
"Her name is Katniss. And she's anything but garbage. She's amazing. And she's twice the woman you'll ever be!" I snap.

I suddenly feel her strike my left cheek with her hand.

"DON'T YOU EVER SPEAK TO ME THAT WAY AGAIN! DO YOU HEAR ME? You're lucky I have this party tonight. I would have given you much worse, but I don't want to ruin my nails."

I run upstairs to my room without giving her a second look. She's not worth it.

When I walk into my room, I look at myself in the mirror above my dresser to assess the damage.  
My cheek is bright red and it stings like hell, but I don't think it will bruise.

I have a mini freezer in my room filled with ice packs for occasions such as these. I grab one, put it on my cheek, and lay on my bed. Although I can still feel the lingering pain of my mother's attack, my mind is only filled with Katniss.

I now know that she is staying with the Undersees for a little bit, but why? Why did she come back?

I'm sure that I'll get the answers to these questions eventually, but I can't seem to shake a feeling of uneasiness when I think about how she looked.

Of course, she looked much older. And she is just as beautiful as I remember her being. But, there was something in her eyes. They had a sort of haunting sadness that wouldn't go away. It was the same with her smile. It never met her eyes, and it seemed like she hadn't smiled in a very long time. And she just looked scared. From everything.

I put the ice pack down and I grab my pillow to put it over my face and try to get these thoughts out of my head.  
But only one thought and question seem to over take me completely: What has happened to Katniss Everdeen in the past 8 years?

* * *

A/N: Sorry if this chapter seemed a bit slow, but I hope you still liked it! PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE continue to review/favorite/follow :) Thanks ya'll! You're the greatest!


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: I know that this chapter is up a little quickly, but I couldn't wait to share it! Enjoy :)

* * *

KATNISS' POV

"And, Katniss this is Peeta." Madge says to me. But no introduction was necessary.  
I know exactly who the blonde boy is.

I'm not sure how to greet Peeta. It's not like this is first time we've met, but I also don't want him to think I'm some sort of creeper by saying "I know."  
So, I extend my hand towards him to offer a handshake as I say hello. He must of thought it was an all right idea because he takes my hand without hesitation and shakes it lightly. I usually flinch at any sort of touch, but his is so soft and gentle. It almost makes me feel comfortable.

"Hi, Katniss." He says to me and lets go.

Madge then offers me one of Peeta's cheese buns again and goes on about how his are the best. I definitely don't disagree.  
They smell absolutely incredible. Just how I remember. Looking at the one in my hand takes me back to that supply closet at the school, and I have to take a deep breath to prevent tears from filling my eyes.

"Oh, they're all right." Peeta says, obviously embarrassed by Madge's compliment.

"Well if they taste anything like how they smell, I'm sure they are life-changing." I say to Peeta with a forced smile.  
I already know that they are.  
If only he knew how true my statement was…

"Well maybe you should find out for yourself." He jokes to me and, to my surprise, I laugh a little. I honestly can't remember the last time I've managed so much as a giggle.

I cautiously take a piece of the bun to eat it. I'm a little worried because I'm not sure how my stomach is going to handle it, but I don't want hurt Peeta's feelings. And I also want to see if these things are as good as I remember.

As I pop it in my mouth, the delicious cheese flavor overwhelms my taste buds, making my eyes automatically close and, without being able to control it, I embarrassingly moan a little with pleasure.

I open my eyes to see if anyone heard, and I can feel my face getting hot when I realize that Peeta is looking at me.  
_Damn it._ I think to myself, again.

"Um. Yeah. Definitely life-changing." I manage to say and Peeta just smiles and says, "Well I'm glad you liked them."

Peeta then jokes about having to bring Madge and I daily cheese buns, and then asks me something I wasn't prepared for.

"Uh. Katniss, I already know where I can find Madge, but is there a delivery address you could give me so that I know where to send the buns for you? Just so that I know they get in the right hands." He says to me with a smile, but I just freeze.

"Um… Well…" I being to say, but I can't finish.

It shouldn't be an embarrassing thing for me to say that I'm staying with the Undersees. In fact, this home is a million times better than what I lived in before. So why can't I tell Peeta? It must be the circumstances that are embarrassing to admit. And that fact that I'm…

"She'll be staying here for a while." Madge says with a comforting smile, interrupting my thoughts. I give her small smile back, thanking her for stepping in.

Peeta then talks about how much easier it will be for us to be in one place to deliver the cheese buns, and we see Mrs. Undersee come in to the kitchen.

She comments on the cupcakes that Peeta brought over, and Peeta asks if there is anything he can do to help with the party tonight. I know that it's been 8 years since I've seen him, but Peeta Mellark seems to be just as helpful and generous as he once was.  
The thought makes me smile a little.

Mrs. Undersee tells him no thank you, and Madge and I walk Peeta to the door.

Madge thanks Peeta for the cheese buns and he just shrugs, saying it was no big deal.  
"Really, it was no problem. I'm glad you enjoyed them. Both of you." He says and looks at me, but I just look at the ground, not knowing what to say.

"So, I guess I'll be seeing you guys around?" He asks and I look up at him and nod with a smile.  
I really hope that is the case. I usually don't feel comfortable around people I don't know very well, but with Peeta, I can't explain it. There's just warmth that he gives off that you can't help but be drawn to. And it would be nice to have that around.

He smiles back and walks towards his house across the street.

As Madge closes the door, she looks at me with her eyebrow raised.

"What?" I ask and she just shakes her head.  
"Oh, nothing." She says and walks back towards the kitchen.  
"No really, Madge, what is it?" I hate when people keep things from me.  
"It's just that… it doesn't seem like that was the first time you've met Peeta. That's all." She says casually.

I roll my eyes. "Well, I did used to live here and go to school with him." I say to Madge as we begin to fold napkins for tonight.  
"I know that. But I don't remember you guys ever talking at school. Am I wrong?" She asks and raises her eyebrow again.

I keep my eyes on my hands and pretend to look like I'm concentrating on folding. Madge has been great to me since I've been here, but I don't think I'm ready to tell her about what happened with Peeta. Not yet at least.

"No. You're not wrong. We didn't talk. But I knew who he was. Our parents introduced on the first day of Kindergarten. I'm sure he doesn't remember that though." I say and continue to look at the napkin that I've had to refold three times already.

"Oh, ok. That makes sense." Madge says and shrugs her shoulders. She doesn't ask any more about it, and for that I'm' grateful.

For the next couple of hours, Madge and I help Mrs. Undersee get ready for the party for Mayor Undersee, and then Madge and I escape upstairs to our room. The party is only for adults, not that I would want to attend anyway.

Madge and I sit on her bed and play a card game when she tries again.

"Katniss, are you sure that the only interaction that you and Peeta had before today was on the first day of Kindergarten?" Madge asks me while looking at her cards.

Here she goes again. I don't know why she is so concerned about Peeta and me. Or why she even cares.

"I don't know, Madge. It's been so long since I've lived here. I do know that's the first time I saw him. But like I said before, we never talked after that." I say, hoping that will be enough.

She looks at me with a questioning look and then back at her cards.

"Is there a reason you asked?" I ask her and she just shrugs.

It's bothering me that she won't tell me why she's concerned about Peeta and me. Then it hits me.  
"Wait. Do you… do you like Peeta?" I ask her quietly.

I have never heard anybody laugh as hard as Madge does at my question. Or as long.  
By the time she calms down and wipes the tears from her eyes, it's been a good seven minutes.

"Oh… no. Katniss, no. Peeta's like my brother. Honestly." She says as she still tries to even out her breathing.  
"Oh. Ok. I was just… wondering why you keep asking me about him is all." I say and just continue to stare at my cards.

"I see. I was… I was just trying to figure something out."  
"Figure what out?" I ask and finally look up at her.  
"It was just… the way he kept looking at you. It was like he was trying to figure out if you were real or not. I was trying to see if maybe he was trying to place you somewhere. Like he knew you from someplace but couldn't remember." She says and her mouth turns up in a smirk.  
"I think he might like you."

"What?! Madge, are you crazy?! How can you even say that? We talked for like, five seconds!"  
My face must look ridiculous because she just laughs and places her hands in front of her to show she comes in peace.  
"It was just an observation, Katniss. It's just that I've known Peeta my entire life, and I've never seen him look at anybody the way he was looking at you. That's all."  
"Well, you're way off, I'm sure. There is no way in hell that Peeta Mellark would ever like me. In any sort of universe." I say and just look back down to my cards.

It's silent for a moment, and I look up at Madge again and she has that questioning look on her face again.

"What is it now?" I ask her.  
"I never told you his last name…" She begins and smirks again. "You must have a remarkable memory." She teases and I can feel my face turning red again.

"Well, even if that is true, which it's NOT," I say as I glare at her and raise my eyebrow. I then continue, "he isn't going to want to like me, or even talk to me in a few months." I say quietly and my face gets even warmer.  
"Peeta's a good guy, you know. One of the best. I think he would understand." Madge says and smiles sweetly.  
"Well I wouldn't blame him if he didn't. I wouldn't." I say and Madge just sighs.

We sit there in silence for moment when Madge stands up.

"I'm going to go see if there is any leftover dessert! Do you want anything?"  
I laugh. I love how she can be so cheery and energetic all time. I don't know how she does it.  
"Sure." I say with an appreciative smile. "Actually, I've been craving chocolate all day. So grab whatever you can."  
"Will do." She says and gives me a salute.  
I laugh again. It feels so good to be in a place where I can laugh so often.

I wait on the bed for Madge to come back for a while, but I somehow end up in the bathroom.

I look at myself in mirror and try to imagine what I'm going to look like in just a few short months.  
I turn to the side and lift my shirt. As I rub my stomach, I sigh and close my eyes.

"How am I going to tell people about you, huh?" I whisper to my belly. As I think about what Peeta might say, I begin to cry.  
Stupid hormones.

* * *

A/N: :) Let me know what you guys think! Thanks so much for reading! Ya'll are amazing :) REVIEW/FAVORITE/FOLLOW pretty please!


End file.
